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DIY car repair work numbers decreasing

2nd August 2012

New research has shown that the number of motorists aged over-50 that are undertaking DIY car maintenance has fallen substantially.

According to the study, which was conducted by Saga Motor Insurance, the number of mature drivers carrying out basic tasks like changing car batteries has fallen from 17 per cent in 2007 to ten per cent today.

In the majority of these instances, respondents were instead passing the work onto garages, rather than completing it themselves.

Much of the problem would appear to stem from a lack of understanding of modern automobiles, with increasingly complex car engine designs proving too daunting for drivers.

This is backed up by the research, which indicates that respondents who owned a car that was ten years old or more were more likely to attempt to repair it than someone with a newer model.

Saga Services chief executive Roger Ramsden said: "Peering under the bonnet of a car can be daunting. But learning how to do minor repairs could save a lot of money – as long as you know what you're doing.”